Cream and Cheese Pie in Shortcrust Pastry

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Wrapping Dough

1. 1
   Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Transfer to a food processor, add the cold butter in cubes and process until coarse crumbs form.

   Food processor
3. 3
   Add the cold water and quickly bring together with your hands, without kneading, just until the dough comes together.

   💡Knead as little as possible: long kneading develops gluten, and the dough comes out tough and shrinks in the oven.
4. 4
   Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 15 minutes.

   ⚙ Wrapping and Chilling the DoughPlastic wrapRefrigerator

   💡Chilling firms the butter and relaxes the gluten: the dough rolls out easily, doesn't stick to the counter and doesn't shrink in the oven.

To assemble

1. 5
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 6
   Mix the eggs, cream, cheese, Bulgarian cheese, thyme, salt and black pepper in a bowl into a smooth filling.

   Bowl
3. 7
   Roll out the dough and line 24 cm quiche dish with it.

   ⚙ Rolling Out DoughRolling pin

   💡Roll from the center outward and give the dough a quarter turn between rolls: this keeps it even in thickness and stops it sticking to the counter. If it springs back, cover for 10–15 minutes and try again.
4. 8
   Pour the filling into the crust.
5. 9
   Bake at 180°C (355°F) 30–35 minutes, until the filling is set and golden.

   ⚙ BakingOvenRound pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
6. 10
   Serve hot.